Saying Goodbye

Hi Ratty,

You recently wrote a thread in this forum about your coming trip to Thailand and said that neither budget nor weight were an issue for you. Perhaps you can afford both a D800 and an XE1, keep your beloved 24/1.4 and try them both out.

It seems to me that you are comparing two very different systems as options.  An XE1 is not a D800 and vice versa.  They're horses for courses.  Different purposes.  An XE1 is small and light and will be good at general photography but not action, sports and wildlife.  It also doesn't come with options for long fast zooms, long tele primes, and TS lenses.  It will do very well for travel, but perhaps not other interests you may have.  The D800 will do everything and at better resolution, but will be heavier on your back when you have to live with it for weeks of travel.  And you'll stand out like a sore thumb - it's not exactly a subtle approach to travel with a camera.

You have referred to your 24/1.4 quite a bit.  We unfortunately have to use camera systems as a whole, and can't cherry pick lenses and bodies.  If you do buy a D800 it won't give you, the 35mm FOV.  It'll be 24mm, and good lens though it is, let's not pretend that it doesn't have faults and there aren't other very good lenses out there........ (in either the 24mm or 35mm FOV).

Don't stress - Buy what yuo need now.  There will in any case be a better camera than either to tempt you in a year or two's time.

Cheers,  Rod